Sunday, June 9, 2013

Superman, Me and the Mayor

Hi everyone, hope you are doing well. I had a big day yesterday. I was asked to appear at the Gordon Park Fair. And while I was at my table tending my wares, I got to renew my friendship with author Brad Ricca, author of the new biography on the Clevelanders who created Superman. I was greatly appreciative when I saw that Brad mentioned me twice in the acknowledgements as someone "with due respect to those who came before," as a Superman expert and early champion of comics in Cleveland.

Later in the day, Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson showed up to get a picture taken with Brad for his splendid work on the just released bio, "Super Boys." But then since I helped write the "Superman at 50" a quarter of a century ago, (and this is making a long story short) Mayor Jackson stopped by my table and even took a picture with me as he held up my book. Quite a pride filled day that I'll be sure to tell my healing father (he broke his hip last week) about.

I also got to see an old friend, Gary Dumm, one of Harvey Pekar's artists on his ground breaking "American Splendor" graphic novels. Gary even drew a large pencil drawing for me that is too great to describe. Only now I have to draw one for him.

Anyway, please pick up a copy of Brad's new book and read the last part of my three part series on the history of Superman which is appearing in today's News-Herald. And a big thanks to editor's Mark and Cheryl for seeing this series through. And I'll be talking more about the Man of Steel through the rest of this month, so take care and adopt a comic today.